Felix Brunner
Felix Brunner, CD (born 18 July 1981) is a Brunanter footballer, who currently plays for First League club St. Marks Koningstad. Brunner is known by his nicknames Scherpschutter and sharpshooter for his ability at finding goals, even from long ranges. A former Brunanter international, Brunner is the all-time top scorer for the national team and is among the most popular players in Brunant. He announced his retirement from international football in 2017. Joining St. Marks in 1994, he made his professional debut in 1999 with FC Drenthe. After four seasons of success and many accolades, he returned to St. Marks. Despite a lack of trophies, Brunner has endeared himself to the fans and became one of the best-performing players in the league. In 2015, he was surprisingly loaned to AS Cettatie in the Championnat National, but returned to St. Marks in January 2017. Career Youth Brunner was born to Matthias and Anna Brunner in Koningstad, the second of three children. In an interview with Score, he said that George Michálek and Karim Zenadi were his youth idols. Brunner initially started playing with Sterren Koningstad in the Cape Cross League in 1993, but the following season, he joined St. Marks Koningstad. Progressing through their youth setup, he advanced quickly. During his time at St. Marks, Brunner befriended Michael Campbell and David Temple. Alexandria Koningstad Brunner made his debut for St. Marks Koningstad in August 1998 in an exhibition game against Libertan side FC Skeend in an international tournament. For the 1998-99 season, Brunner was included in the first team, but did not play any game for The Boxers. However, he made 25 appearances in the Cape Cross Parish League for Alexandria Koningstad, where he became the captain and first-choice penalty taker. In June 1999, Felix made his last appearance for St. Marks' secondary team. FC Drenthe In August 1999, Brunner was sold to FC Drenthe for an impressive €1,200,000. He was presented at the City Stadium and was enthusiastically welcomed by supporters. In his first season, he was a substitute and only appeared in five matches. He made his debut against Brunant Leuwens and scored his first goal against Middleton Arrows two months later. During this period, he became friends with fellow Drenthe player Adrian van Schijzer, with whom he broke through. In 2000-01, Brunner became a regular starter. The next season, Brunner scored and impressive sixteen goals and Drenthe won the Johan II Cup in 2002, with Brunner scoring a brace in the semi-finals versus Mediterranean FC. Brunner won the First League with Drenthe in 2003. Those were his first trophies as a professional football player. Scoring 26 goals in the league that year, he would be awarded Total Football's award for top goal scorer in the season. Kemburger player Andy Chappel was the player who made most assists of Brunner's goals. St. Marks Koningstad Return to St. Marks In December 2003, Brunner returned to St. Marks Koningstad after some impressive seasons at Drenthe, joining for a wikination record of 4 million euros. Brunner's first seasons with St. Marks were largely trophyless, though he did score several key goals. It was upon his arrival at the Koningstadion that Brunner made himself a fan's favourite. Unofficially, he was named St. Marks Player of the Season three times and two of his goals received an award for the most beautiful goal of the competition. 2005-2012 In 2005-06, he won the WNFA Leaders League with St. Marks, scoring two goals in the final against North Beach Kemburg, scoring fourteen goals that season. The following season, he helped the team to finish second in the league, with scoring an impressive fifteen goals. The season after that, he helped St. Marks to another Leaders League win, scoring in the final against his former team Drenthe, as well winning the Leaders League a third time in 2010. In 2010-11, St. Marks won the league, with Brunner contributing with 22 goals (behind teammate Ibra El-Zein) and six assists. This was, however, his first First League title with St. Marks. Brunner had a difficult season in 2011-12. He scored two goals in the Eternal Rivalry match against Grijzestad Strijders in October, but he suffered a torn ligament late that year and was out for most of the season, only playing eighteen games. 2012-2014 In the 2012-13 season, he has scored eleven goals in 20 matches. Felix scored the opener in a decisive 2-2 draw versus Dortmund SFC in October. He recorded his first brace of the season in a 6-1 thrashing of Cape Cross FC in November. On 14 April, he provided both assists to Carlinhos and Mario Hoever's goals versus former team Drenthe. There were rumours of him moving to another First League team in the winter transfer period, but Brunner extended his contract with St. Marks. Brunner improved throughout the 2013-14 First League in one of his best seasons yet. He played in 23 league matches and scored fifteen goals, tied for his second-highest tally. He managed three goals in the WNFA Leaders League as St. Marks won the tournament for the fourth time. Due to an injury received during the World Football Championship in the summer, Brunner missed the start of the 2014-15 First League. He was out for the first months of the league and only returned to action as a substitute on 19 October 2014. Rumours again surfaced of Brunner leaving the club and Mediterranean FC and FC Willemstad had shown interest in the player. It was widely believed that Brunner could leave St. Marks in the winter, with AS Cettatie from Cettatie and FC Donderar serious contenders. He only played ten games for St. Marks in the 2014-15 season. AS Cettatie In early January 2015 Brunner joined AS Cettatie on a loan deal until the summer of 2015. This deal surprised many, but it was believed that a permanent transfer would be agreed upon in the summer. In 2015, his loan period was extended for one year until December 2016. He was coached by Libertan Gerard Dekhuis and played in the Championnat National in France alongside fellow Brunanter James Giggs. In the 2015-16 season, Brunner managed to score seventeen goals for Cettatie. He became vice-captain of the team, leading them to surprising victories against US Orléans and FC Lorient. Brunner was also named one of the best players in the competition that season. In the 2016-17 season, he continued his prolific goal scoring. Second return Brunner retuned to St. Marks in January 2017, when his two year-contract on loan expelled. He was welcomed by his fans and supporters at the Koningstadion and scored in his first game against FC Kings. He was named vice-captain of St. Marks for the 2017-18 season. National team Youth Brunner played for various Brunanter national youth teams. He made 14 appearances for the under-20 team between 1997 and 1999, after also having represented the under-17 and under-19 teams. Whilst playing for St. Marks under a semi-professional contract in the 1998-99 First League, Brunner also trained with the senior side, but managed to score several times for the Youth Reds. He made his last under-20 appearance at an international tournament held in Libertas in August 1999. After this, Brunner signed a professional contract with FC Drenthe and made his professional football debut a couple of weeks later. Senior side Felix Brunner has been Brunant national football team's all-time top scorers since 2015 and hold the records with 33 goals in 71 matches, surpassing Florian Evers' record of 32 goals from 1940. Before his retirement from international football in August 2017, Brunner was a huge favorite of the national team, since he had been playing with Brunant for eighteen years. Brunner is the only player who has scored goals in six different World Football Championship: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Early years and WFC 2000 Brunner made his debut for the Brunant national football team in 1999 in a friendly game against Austria appearing as a second-half substitute for Karim Zenadi, his youth idol. Two weeks later, he scored his first international goal in another friendly against Ivory Coast. Brunner was praised for his technical ability, speed and goal scoring by Brunant manager Roberto Bracciale, which surprisingly led to his call-up for the WFC 2000. In his first WFC tournament in 2000, Brunner was given the call-up by Bracciale to go to Switzerland. His first appearance at the tournament came as a substitute in a 4-0 win against Lebanon. His third appearance came in the final versus Trinidad and Tobago, where he headed in Dirk Schaertsen's corner to score the lone winning goal of the match. He stated in an interview with Score that his goal in the 2000 WFC final goal was the most important goal of his career. Brunner's header against Trinidad and Tobago was named one of the most iconic sports moment of the 21th century in Brunant. Felix was also awarded the Young Player Award of the tournament. Injuries Due to several injuries in 2001 and 2002, Brunner missed many of Brunant's games. The national side did not participate in the WFC 2002 tournament, despite having won the previous edition. Brunner stated in a 2017 documentary about his career that this period with the national team was less successful thanks to disagreements with the coach and between the players. This led to the dismissal of Roberto Bracciale as manager. According to journalist, Brunner was also paying more attention on winning trophies with FC Drenthe at this moment than performing well with the national side. Josimar era Brunner was selected for the WFC 2004 squad, but during training, he was injured and did not play in the tournament, apart from the match versus Ghana, where he scored Brunant's only goal. After the tournament, Brunner lost his starting place in the national team, now coached by Josimar. In 2006 and 2007, Brunner only played four games for Brunant and was not selected for the WFC 2006, which led to frustration and speculations about his future career with the national team. Despite the tournament ending rather suddenly for Brunant (in the group stages), Brunner performed well and was one of the highest scorers at the WFC 2008 tournament. He scored the first goal in a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands Antilles and scored a hattrick in Brunant's 1-3 win against Gambia. He was awarded a place in the Team of the Tournament. WFC 2010 and 2012 With Anthony Angelmar appointed the new head coach in 2010, Brunner entered a new period with many goals and assists for the national team. Felix entered WFC 2010 as Brunant finished second. He scored the equalizing goal in a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde, the second goal in a 2-4 win over New Caledonia and the winning goal in a 2-1 game against Slovakia. Brunner only scored one goal in WFC 2012, versus Vanuatu, but he assisted four times. He scored Brunant's second goal in a 3-2 friendly loss to Belgium, and in 2013 he already has scored a goal against Libertas in a friendly. Brunner scored three goals in the WFC 2014 qualification. At this moment, many fans were believing Brunner would break Florian Evers' record as all-time topscorer of the national team. At the 2014 tournament, Brunner made his scoring debut versus Libertas, bagging a brace in a 5-2 win, taking him to top scorer for Brunant. In the quarterfinals against Lovia, Brunner was injured by an opposing midfielder and stretchered off. Brunner was out for four months. Later years In 2015, he became a regular starter for Brunant again after a recovery period. He scored his last international goal for Brunant in a friendly game against Peru that year. Brunner played man more games for Brunant in 2016, mostly as a second-half substitute. In August 2017, he announced his retirement from international football. His last game became a 2-0 win and his first 90-minute game since 2015. Brunner did not score, but received applause and gratitude by former and current players and many fans at the Koningstadion. He was also joined on the field by his son Lucas. The media has reported that upon his retirement as a player, the national team may take him on as a coach, perhaps with youth teams. Personal life ]] Brunner was made a Commadant of the Order of the Dragon after winning the World Football Championship in 2000. In 2009, he married Cristiane Melker, a well-known Brunanter singer-songwriter and actress. Melker gave birth to a son in 2014, Lucas, the couple's first child. The couple is considered by the media an important and interesting celebrity couple. They are living in Koningstad, but since Brunner's professional departure to Cettatie, they are half-time living in Cettatie. In a 2016 interview, Brunner informed that "living in Cettatie was more difficult for his family than he thought". Career statistics Club statistics International goals Honors and records Club *First League: 2002-03, 2010-11, 2013-14 *Johan II Cup: 2001-02 *Brunant Supercup: 2002, 2003, 2011, 2014 *WNFA Leaders League: 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2013-14 Country *World Football Championship: 2000 Individual *WFC Young Player Award: 2000 *Order of the Dragon: 2000 *RBFA Young Player Award: 2001-02 *''Total Football'' Golden Flower award: 2002-03 *RBFA Player of Season: 2003-04 *WFC Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2010, 2012 Category:St. Marks Koningstad Category:FC Drenthe Category:Brunant national football team Category:1981 births Category:Cettatie Category:Association football forwards Category:Living people Category:Footballers